We go around wishing each other a Merry Christmas! We take it for granted that everyone is having a merry, blessed or happy Christmas but this is not true. Some are very lonely, some are sad, some are having financial or emotional problems. Some have lost loved ones as there are a lot of deaths during the holiday season.

It seems that our meaning of Christmas grows each year meaning bigger, brighter, more expensive gifts, more of the secular than the sacred. Christmas has sure changed through the years. Why can’t we keep it simple like it used to be years ago? Yes, I know times have changed. I believe the meaning of Christmas was more special when we did not put so much emphasis on the worldly portion.

Call me old fashioned but children used to be happy with whatever they received at Christmas. They did not demand expensive toys and gadgets as children do today. Our toys were not shipped from China, Japan or Mexico. They were U.S. made. A stocking with candy and fruit, a homemade toy, a good meal, family, friends and love in celebration of the birth of Jesus was wonderful.

Today, Christmas trees are a half-billion dollar business. Live trees are shipped everywhere or if we have artificial ones they now have to be “pre lit.” What happened to red and green for Christmas? Now, the colors are bright, gaudy, bigger ornaments; whereas in earlier times, families would string popcorn, use cookies, candy canes, gum drops to decorate the tree that they went out in the woods and had fun choosing and cutting.

What about our nativity plays, reading the scripture with the account of the birth of a baby called Jesus with the wise men, shepherds, Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and angels singing praises? I remember one of our Christmas plays was called “No Room In The Inn” and we even used a real baby in the manger. There is nothing really wrong with the fun, magical part of Christmas with Santa Claus, his sleigh and reindeer including Rudolph with the red nose and gifts, as long as we remember the real reason we are celebrating Christmas.

The celebration of Christmas is making millions for businesses. I read somewhere that over $160 million worth of candles were sold that jewelry sales increased between 100 percent and 200 percent, the sale of greeting cards, the sale of fireworks and alcohol is really big business. Some people think they can’t have a party without alcohol.

We work ourselves crazy shopping, decorating, cooking, partying, to make it a big celebration when all we really need to do is make it a simple celebration honoring the birth of Jesus. He came to bring us peace on earth, goodwill to men. What would happen if we went back to an old-fashioned Christmas — simple, forgetting the expensive gifts, with family, friends, good food, singing carols, Christmas plays, worship and Christmas eve Communion?

This would be a very Merry Christmas. A happy and blessed Christmas celebration.

Nina King is a resident of Valdosta.